Here is why Amazon is providing refunds on its new Kindle Colorsoft e-reader

Key Takeaways

Amazon is delaying shipments of its new Kindle Colorsoft e-reader.
The delay is in response to complaints about high quality management points referring to the show.
Colorsoft models are actually anticipated to ship within the mid-to-late November timeframe, with Amazon providing each substitute and refund choices to prospects with defective models.

Just some quick weeks in the past, Amazon officially unveiled its next-generation lineup of Kindle e-reader merchandise. Early impressions of the new hardware had been optimistic, with the $280 Kindle Colorsoft being the clear star of the present. The Colorsoft is notable for being the first-ever Kindle with a color E ink display, which is an rising know-how with the potential to enhance the general studying expertise.

Sadly for Amazon, it seems that early Colorsoft models are affected by high quality management points referring to the display itself — users are complaining of a film-like graininess, in addition to a distracting yellow tint being displayed over their content material. The corporate has since responded by providing affected prospects a selection between a substitute unit or a full refund.

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Why is my Kindle Colorsoft cargo being delayed?

Amazon is briefly halting gross sales of its new flagship e-reader

Amazon

As reported on by Good e-Reader, Amazon is briefly canceling shipments of its Kindle Colorsoft e-reader. The product was initially slated to ship on October 30, however the firm now intends on delivering models to prospects within the mid-to-late November timeframe.

“Anybody who ordered or pre-ordered the gadget is not going to obtain it till November ninth to 18th within the US and November twenty sixth in the UK,” says Good e-Reader’s Michael Kozlowski.

Amazon has since launched a press release relating to this Kindle Colorsoft scenario, confirming {that a} answer is within the works. The corporate says that prospects can anticipate shifts in gadget availability, because it implements extra high quality management measures.

“A small variety of prospects have reported a yellow band alongside the underside of the show. We take the standard of our merchandise critically — prospects who discover this may attain out to our customer support workforce for a substitute or refund, and we’re making the suitable changes to make sure that new units is not going to expertise this concern transferring ahead,” an Amazon spokesperson says.

Beforehand, it was unclear whether or not an over-the-air replace would be capable to resolve these show irregularities, or whether or not a much bigger {hardware} defect was at play. It now appears that Amazon is taking a hardware-first method to the issue.

Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft listing presently sits at a person assessment rating of two.6 on Amazon, with a whole lot of disgruntled customers complaining of a noticeable yellow bar on the backside of the product’s display, in addition to total picture fuzziness. Many customers have acknowledged that they’ve developed complications after their studying classes, as properly.

A Kobo Libra Colour being held on top of a Kindle Paperwhite over a green background.

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Is shade E ink the longer term, or is it merely a passing fad?

E-readers with E ink know-how are starting to hit the mainstream market

Amazon

The Kindle Colorsoft represents Amazon’s first client foray into the world of shade E ink, however different e-reader producers are using the tech in their very own merchandise as properly. The Kobo Libra Colour and the Boox Go Color 7, for instance, are each obtainable available on the market, and are each outfitted with shade E ink shows of their very own.

Actually, Kobo has a rising color-clad e-reader portfolio, presently consisting of the well-received Libra Color and Clara Colour merchandise. The Clara is a $150 mannequin with a 6-inch display and a light-weight type issue, whereas the Libra is a higher-end $220 product with stylus help for annotations and note-taking.

With regards to studying comics, graphic novels, and cookbooks, the advantages of color-infused E ink go with out saying. E ink remains a remarkable technology, in a position to simulate bodily paper whereas remaining extremely seen even in shiny and sunny out of doors situations.

…it is unclear whether or not the corporate might want to carry out a extra drastic {hardware} re-work.

Whereas Amazon might have stumbled out of the gate with its first shade E ink product, it is hardly an indictment of shade E ink as an entire. We’re seeing an increasing number of e-readers incorporate full-color shows into the combination, and I anticipate this development to proceed within the years to return.

As for the Kindle Colorsoft itself, we’ll have to attend as Amazon investigates the foundation reason behind the show issues plaguing early models. Each the unusual grainy picture and the yellow tint impact are severe {hardware} points, and it is unclear how drastic of a re-work is required to repair the defect. The corporate says it is working shortly to get new and substitute units out the door, nevertheless it does not go so far as to offer a precise ETA on new shipments.